Keir
Starmer defends plan for closer alignment with EU rules
PM
rejects claim plan is integration with EU ‘by stealth’, saying changes will
happen only if parliament passes law
Peter
Walker and Alexandra Topping
Mon 13
Apr 2026 09.43 BST
Keir
Starmer has defended plans for the UK to align more closely with some EU rules
without parliamentary votes, saying a closer relationship with Europe “is in
the UK’s best interest”, particularly given the international turmoil over the
Iran war.
Speaking
to the BBC after the Guardian revealed that ministers were planning to use
so-called Henry VIII powers to dynamically align with EU rules by default,
Starmer argued that, nearly 10 years after the Brexit referendum, it was time
to “look forward”.
A new
bill on a food and drink trade deal with the EU will contain powers enabling
the government to dynamically align with Europe where it has already made
agreements. But it will also allow the UK to quickly implement evolving single
market rules if it determines it is in the national interest, without having to
face full parliamentary scrutiny each time.
Asked if
this “integration with the EU by stealth”, the prime minister denied that MPs
would be excluded, saying the changes would happen only “if parliament passes
the legislation”.
He also
defended the idea of leaning closer into Europe, given the global situation,
saying: “We’re in a world where there’s massive conflict, great uncertainty,
and I strongly believe the UK’s best interests are in a stronger, closer
relationship with Europe, whether that’s defence and security, of course;
energy, I think, inevitably; and also our economy.”
The
planned legislation was “trying to make trade easier so there are less burdens
for businesses”, Starmer said, adding: “That, of course, translates into lower
prices, particularly with the deal we’ve got with the EU. This is predominantly
food and agricultural prices, which I think most people would say – whatever we
could do to get those prices down is a step in the right direction.”
The
Conservatives have condemned the plans, with the shadow business secretary,
Andrew Griffith, saying Starmer was unable to accept the decision of the 2016
referendum, with parliament “reduced to a spectator while Brussels sets the
terms”.
Nigel
Farage, the Reform UK leader, called the idea “a backdoor attempt to drag
Britain back under European Union control”.
But
building on recently more open pro-European comments by the government, Starmer
argued that opponents of the plans needed to recognise that the world had
changed.
“I think
it’s also a sense, 10 years on from the Brexit referendum, that we’ve got to
look forward now, not backwards,” the prime minister said. “Let’s not just have
all the old arguments of the last decade.
“Let’s go
forward and recognise that a stronger, closer relationship with Europe is in
the UK’s best interest, particularly in a world that is as volatile as it is.”
Under the
proposed bill, ministers are planning to argue that the move will add billions
to the UK economy, temper the cost of the Iran conflict and boost sluggish
productivity.
Parliament
can either approve or reject secondary legislation but cannot amend it, which
would probably mean MPs will “rubber-stamp” new deals rather than debate and
vote on every one. Any blocking votes would be likely to cause issues with the
EU, and could spark retaliatory action. A source said: “We are clear parliament
will have a role for new deals and on new EU laws applying under those deals.”
A
government insider said: “We expect a fight in this area from those who were in
favour of leaving the EU on the harshest terms. They will scream treason but
the reality is that all international agreements involve shared rules.
“The
boldest free traders and conservatives have always been pragmatists. But Nigel
Farage is too cowardly to take it on; you can’t picture him doing any
deal-making with the EU at all.”
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